Engine management system
First Claim
1. An engine management system for testing an engine having an electronic fuel injection system having fuel injectors for injecting fuel into the engine which, in an engine control mode, is regulated by an engine control module which generates an injector control signal and is responsive to exhaust gas signals generated by exhaust gas sensors comprising:
- means for generating at least one set of user defined injector pulse widths for providing a user defined fuel supply to the engine;
means for generating a reference injector signal which is computer compatible, said reference injector signal being generated from the injector control signal generated by the engine control module;
means for generating an alternate injector control signal for a user control mode;
means for transforming said reference injector signal to a simulated exhaust gas signal for presentation to the engine control module during said user control mode;
means for transferring between said alternate injector control signal of said user control mode and the injector control signal of the engine control mode; and
means for transferring between said simulated exhaust gas signal of said user control mode and the exhaust gas signal from the exhaust gas sensors.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention provides a system for testing an engine designed to be run under the control of an engine control module. The system modifies the operation of the engine while maintaining the engine control module active so as to allow control of the engine to be transferred between the engine management system and the engine control module. The present invention allows an operator to alter the operation of the engine by varying the signals to the engine'"'"'s injectors and ignition systems. While the engine is operating under user defined injector signals, a simulated exhaust gas signal is provided to the engine control module. This simulated exhaust gas signal allows the engine to be tested under operating conditions where the exhaust gas generated would cause correction by the engine control module making the test condition sought unsustainable. The system can be programmed to periodically return all functions to the engine control module allowing the establishment of new operating parameters for the engine. In a preferred embodiment, the engine management system can also take control of the engine'"'"'s electronic ignition system allowing the user to alter spark timing and ignition dwell time. In addition to providing integrated injector and ignition control, the engine management system of the present invention allows the user to take engine control from and return engine control to the engine control module without knowing the details of the algorithms used to run the engine control module.
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Citations
16 Claims
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1. An engine management system for testing an engine having an electronic fuel injection system having fuel injectors for injecting fuel into the engine which, in an engine control mode, is regulated by an engine control module which generates an injector control signal and is responsive to exhaust gas signals generated by exhaust gas sensors comprising:
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means for generating at least one set of user defined injector pulse widths for providing a user defined fuel supply to the engine; means for generating a reference injector signal which is computer compatible, said reference injector signal being generated from the injector control signal generated by the engine control module; means for generating an alternate injector control signal for a user control mode; means for transforming said reference injector signal to a simulated exhaust gas signal for presentation to the engine control module during said user control mode; means for transferring between said alternate injector control signal of said user control mode and the injector control signal of the engine control mode; and means for transferring between said simulated exhaust gas signal of said user control mode and the exhaust gas signal from the exhaust gas sensors. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method for managing an engine during testing, the engine being fitted with electronic fuel injectors, an engine control module, an exhaust system, at least one exhaust gas sensor for providing exhaust gas signals to at least one exhaust gas signal input of the engine control module, the method comprising the steps of:
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stabilizing the engine at a user defined load and speed; running the engine under its engine control module for a time sufficient to establish a base line operation; calculating a base average pulse width of the injector control signal generated by the engine control module for establishing the base line operation; transferring the operation of the injectors of the engine from the engine control module to user defined pulse widths; and providing a simulated exhaust gas oxygen signal to the engine control module while operating under said user defined pulse widths to substitute for the exhaust gas signal from the at least one exhaust gas sensor. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
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Specification